The present invention relates to a fully edible feed body for domestic animals.
Numerous feed bodies for domestic animals, in particular systems for birds, in which seeds are placed on a support which is not at all edible, are already commercially available. Patent DB 3502700, for example, relates to a feed body for birds comprising a wooden bar as support for the seeds.
The aim of the present invention is also to have a support, but said support is edible. This his the great advantage of minimizing wasting of material and of being able to add nutritive substances, for example mineral salts and vitamins.
The present Invention relates to a fully edible feed body for domestic animals, comprising a central core having an elongated shape and a substantially circular or square section, to which at least one layer of a seed-based mixture is glued, the said central core being obtained by extrusion cooking from a mixture based on water, flour, seeds and optionally sugar.
The central core should be rigid, so that the seeds can be applied to said support in a very uniform manner. This central core has a central or oval section with lobes, or is substantially square or rectangular. The type of flour in the central core is not critical, and wheat flour, cornflour or any other type of cereal flour is preferably used. Either a twin-bis [sic], or a single-screw, or any other system known in the state of the art and which makes it possible to carry out the desired extrusion cooking, is used as system for the extrusion cooking. The content of flour in the core is between 40 and 90% of the final core and the content of water is of the order of 2 to 11%. All the percentages in the present description are by weight.
The feed body according to the invention is especially intended for birds, although it is also possible to give it to rodents, such as guinea pigs, hamsters or rabbits. Birds are understood to mean both cage birds, such as parrots, canary birds and the like, and garden birds. In the case where it would be preferably considered for birds, it is preferable that the core also contains seeds so as to make the product attractive right to the end. The content of seeds is normally between 0 and 70%, preferably of the order of 50 to 60%. The type of seeds which can be used is not critical. Millet, wheat, oat, rape, canary grass, sorghum and sunflower seeds and the like are used for example. It is the same types of seed that are found in the layers of seeds around the central core.
The feed body according to the invention comprises, around the central core, a first layer of small-sized seeds and, on top, a second layer of larger-sized seeds. For rodents, it is also possible to have only one layer of seeds. It is also possible to envisage layers of medium sized seeds and/or layers of larger-sized seeds. Medium-sized seeds are understood to mean seeds having a mean particle size of 2 to 6 mm in diameter approximately. Larger-sized seeds are understood to mean seeds having a mean particle size of 6 to 8 mm in diameter approximately.
For the seeds to adhere well to the central core, they must be mixed with a glue. This glue is modified starch, for example modified corn or wheat starch. The glue may also contains colorings, vitamins or mineral salts,
The ratio by weight of the core relative to the layers of seeds (glue included) is normally between 1:3 and 1:6. The ration by weight of seeds relative to the glue is between 1:1 and 1:2.
The layers of seeds may also contain pieces of dried fruit and of colored bread.
A completely edible feed for birds is thus available according to the invention. The final weight of said feed can be adjusted according to the size of the birds.
The present invention also relates to the method of manufacturing the feed body, in which an extrusion cooking of a mixture based on flour, water and optionally sugar is carried out, in a first stage, at a temperature greater than 200xc2x0 C. and, in a second stage, at the time of addition of the seeds, the extrusion cooking is continued at a temperature of less than 180xc2x0 C., the mature in extruded and the expanded product is out to the desired size, a glue layer is applied to each product, a layer of seeds is applied to the glue layer and the product is treated in a drying oven. It is also possible to apply a second glue layer, a second layer of seeds and a second drying. The temperatures mentioned in the present description correspond to the temperatures in the barrels of the extruder.
The temperature profile for the extrusion cooking is of the order of 150 to 240xc2x0 C., namely a temperature greater than 200xc2x0 C. in the first part of the extruder and a temperature of less than 180xc2x0 C. in the second part of the extruder. The flour is truly introduced at the inlet of the extruder, while if seeds are added, they are added at the end of the extruder. The extruded and expanded product is cut to the desired size, for example cores are envisaged which have a length of the order of 10 to 20 cm. The cores then arrive on a conveyor belt onto which a quantity of glue is allowed to fall, then they pass over another conveyor belt onto which arrive the required quantity of seeds. The product finally passes into a drying oven and it is ready to be packaged.